As you are aware the INMO has grave concerns in relation to patient care arising from the excessive workloads and health and safety risks to staff due to:

• chronic overcrowding of Accident & Emergency Departments; and

• Additional patients on inpatients wards.

We have requested that the Minister for Health directly intervene and as you are aware the A & E Forum has been re-established. The Minister attended its first meeting on the 23rd December 2014 and has agreed to continue to attend these monthly meetings.

While this Forum is important and welcome to the INMO, we believe that this crisis in our public health services is a national emergency and must be treated as such by the HSE, Hospital clinical/Directors and politicians.

In hospitals where this problem has become unmanageable, we are now balloting our members for industrial action. We also intend to hold public protests at these particular hospitals.

In addition, we intend to hold a public protest at the gates of Dáil Eireann on the day the Dáil resumes following the Christmas Break:

Wednesday, 14th January 2015. The protest will be held between 12 and 1.30 pm.

We need as many INMO members as possible to travel to Dublin on that day to take part in this protest as the message has to be made clear to all political representatives that this issue is beyond serious and is now critical. We will also encourage other trade union members and members of the public to join in this protest.

Please make every effort to attend this protest and contact your local IRO/INMO office to get further information on transport details to Dublin on the day.